


Aishiteru (I Love You)

by Angelicat2



Series: Sheith Month 2018 [25]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Day 25-Free day, Pining Shiro (Voltron), SHIRO LOVES KEITH, Season 7 Spoilers, Sheith Month 2018, sheithmonth2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 20:55:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15494502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelicat2/pseuds/Angelicat2
Summary: Shiro comes across Keith talking to himself one day. Turns out, he's practicing his Japanese. What he says stuns Shiro.I love you.Only this time...this time, Keith was muttering it in Japanese, in a room by himself. Like he was practicing for a different time. The younger was going to be the real death of Shiro if he kept this up. Shiro couldn't even be ashamed of hearing it. Warmth buzzed his whole body as he blushed hard. A grin covered his face as he felt his soul ascend.Aishiteru.I love you.





	Aishiteru (I Love You)

**Author's Note:**

> Note that I'm no expert on the Japanese language. But hey, remember when the subtitles used "Aishiteru" for Keith to Shiro's clone? Good stuff...

Shiro walked down the hallway. He was trying to locate Keith but had no luck so far. He'd looked in the training room, gym, simulator, meeting room, teacher's faculty, and even the roof. The twenty-one-year-old was nowhere to be seen. Running a hand through his silver hair, Shiro paused as he nearly rolled his eyes.

The library. 

Keith had spent quite a bit of time there back when they had been in the Garrison, before this all went down. Shiro remembered helping the younger study for tests and preparing him for his next flight simulators. Keith hadn't needed the help, being the smart teen that he was, but Shiro had given his time and expertise anyway. There was something about the raven-haired younger man that had called to him. Maybe it was because he had seen himself in the other. Had had people tell him he'd never make it in all his life because of his disease. Had treated him like something fragile.

Keith had been treated the same way. His classmates had disliked him, calling him a cheater when he made it past level five on the test they had given the teens. The teacher had declared Keith not worth the effort, a problematic child.

If only they knew just how much the effort was worth. Shiro had put in a bit of his time and care into helping Keith. Even Adam had been uneasy about the amount of time Shiro had been spending with the younger cadet. 

And Shiro had gotten it back tenfold, perhaps even a thousandfold. Keith had never left his side. He had let Shiro chase his dreams despite his disease. He had let Shiro be the leader. He had protected the older when Shiro couldn't do it himself.

The crash landing into the Garrison, the gladiator, the first robeast, the deserted planet with the lizard beasts, the astral plane.

_You found me._

_You saved me._

**We saved each other.**

Shiro was damn lucky to have the half-Galran as his best friend. And he really appreciated everything Keith had done for him, wanted to return it somehow.

Rounding the corner, he paused as he hesitated at the door. If Keith weren't here, he'd have to search the lions. Opening the door with a visitor pass, he stepped in and saw Keith right away. 

Keith was in the far corner of the room, with a shelf to his back and table in front of him. He was sitting over a few books, reading them as his violet eyes flicked from page to page. His ebony hair rested on his face and the scar was easily seen in the light of the room. A small frown turned down the corner of Keith's lip. He was muttering something under his breath, but the older man couldn't quite make out what it was. Stepping closer, Shiro listened in as Keith got a little louder.

Oh, he was speaking Japanese. 

Shiro smiled. Back a few years ago, Shiro had taught Keith some of the language, mostly the basics. He remembered Keith accidentally mixing up the different diphthongs and phrases. Shiro would laugh as Keith would get annoyed.

_What's so funny?_

_Nothing...You just said you wanted to eat your book._

_Shiro!_

_Keith._

_It's not funny._

_It's kind of funny. You'll get there. Just keep practicing._

_Okay. Focus on the basics._

Shiro had no idea why Keith was back in here studying his home language. He took a few steps forward, staying silent as he continued to listen to the man.

He froze when he heard a phrase he never figured would leave Keith's mouth. 

He had heard it before in English, back in the fight with his clone. He had been surprised to hear it uttered back then. It had snapped him out of his trance for just a moment, just long enough to see Keith's face. To see the openness and the emotions running across the other's face. To see the bruises and scratches Shiro had left on him, but knowing he never looked more beautiful than in that moment. Those three words had stopped Shiro for moments, unexpected as anything he'd ever experienced.

 _I love you._

Only this time...this time, Keith was muttering it in Japanese, in a room by himself. Like he was practicing for a different time. The younger was going to be the real death of Shiro if he kept this up. Shiro couldn't even be ashamed of hearing it. Warmth buzzed his whole body as he blushed hard. A grin covered his face as he felt his soul ascend.

Aishiteru. _I love you._

It wasn't something you said to platonic friends. It wasn't said between brothers. Even most romantic partners never said it. 

_I love you._

Shiro loved this man. Loved everything about him. His devotion, his fire, his willpower, his strength, his morality. Loved his eyes, long hair, that collarbone, the slim waist, those long legs, his scars. Even the Galra eyes and fangs that Keith had when deeply distressed or hurt. He loved it all.

But Shiro never figured Keith would love him back the same way.

He had said he was his brother twice so far.

“Shiro?” Keith's voice broke him out of his thoughts, “You okay?”

Shiro blinked before his eyes found Keith's. The younger man was staring at him, head tilted and a frown of worry on his face. Shiro smiled. 

“I'm fine,” Shiro nodded as he took a seat next to the smaller paladin, “So what are you looking at?”

“Catching up on my Japanese,” Keith turned a page before looking back at Shiro, “Want to study it with me? It's been awhile.”

Shiro chuckled softly. Awhile was no way to describe it. It had been forever for the two between the Kerberos mission, joining Voltron, being in the astral plane, being in the time warp, and then having to fight their way to Earth. It had been about two years but felt like a lifetime ago.

“Yeah,” Shiro opened a book as he leaned towards Keith, “I like the sound of that.”

He watched as Keith cheered up, smile brightening the room. Shiro grinned as he thought about it.

Aishiteru. 

_I love you._

He'd say it someday to Keith. Someday soon. Tell him how much he loved him. How much he needed him. How much he wanted Keith by his side. For now, he'd focus on the basics. And the words Keith was speaking from his lips.

“You just said-"

“Shiro.”

“Okay, okay,” Shiro laughed as he held his hands up, “I'll just let you do what you were doing.”

“Thanks,” Keith began speaking again, getting the sentence correct this time. Shiro just grinned as he listened to Keith. He'd tell him someday very soon. 

Aishiteru.


End file.
